How to Make Textured Soap Tops

There are lots of ways to texture a soap top. No matter the method you choose, you will need a heavy or moderate-heavy trace to achieve the best results. Here are ten textures and how to get them. All you need is a spoon and a thin implement from around the house (we used a paintbrush handle). Do not feel that you can only add a texture to the top of soap in a log mold. Lots of textures can be added to soaps in slab molds as well.

Pull and Snake

1A
– Using the back of a spoon, slide downward along the edge of the mold. Tilt the spoon so the back is face down. Then lift and pull towards the center of the mold. Repeat down both sides.

1B

– Using a thin tool, ‘draw’ a snaking pattern back and forth down the center of the mold. You can make a figure eight pattern for this design as well.

Twist and Lift

2A
– Place a spoon into the soap straight up and down. Twist the spoon in a near 360° motion. As you do this, lift upward.

2B

– Repeat this in rows until the entire surface is covered in circular divots and peaks.

Drawing Patterns

3A
– You can draw any pattern into to the soap surface. The thicker the soap, the more chiseled the appearance. In this design, start by placing a thin tool into the corner of the mold. Drag away from the corner and make a loop, come down, over, and make another loop across the length of the mold.

3B

– Do this in several rows until you have a pattern covering the soap.

Meringue Peaks

4A
– Using the back of a spoon (or spatula), press into the soap, then lift. As you lift, the soap will be pulled from the
surface. When the soap breaks from the spoon a peak is formed just like on a lemon meringue pie.

4B

– Repeat to cover the whole soap surface.

Whisk Twist and Lift

5A
– This is one of my favorites and one of the fastest. Instead of using a spoon, you use a whisk to make the design. Hold the whisk straight up and down. Press the whisk into the soap. Twist it in a near 360° motion. As you do this, lift upward.

5B

– Repeat this in rows until the entire surface is covered in circular twisting peaks.

Pulled Ridge

6A
– Using the back of a spoon, slide downward along the edge of the mold. Tilt the spoon so the back is face down. Then lift and pull to the center of the mold. Repeat down both sides.

6B

– The idea is to create a ridge down the center of the mold.

Mini Peaks

7A
– You are not confined to peaks made only by spoons, spatulas, and whisks. Use a thin tool to create a mini peak. Holding a thin tool vertically, press into the soap, then lift. As you lift, the soap will be pulled from the surface. When the soap breaks from the tool, a peak is formed.

7B

– Repeat to cover the whole soap surface. This one reminds me of grass.

Thin Linear Peaks

8A
– You would be surprised to see how cool this looks in person. Using a thin tool, lay it flat across the soap surface and lift keeping the tool level. As you lift, the soap will be pulled from the surface. When the soap breaks from the tool a peak is formed.

8B

– Repeat to cover soap surface. You can make the linear peaks from side to side, as shown, top to bottom or even diagonally.

Swirl and Lift

9A
– Holding a thin tool vertically, place it into the soap and draw a small circular swirl a couple of rotations. As you do this, lift upward.

9B

– Repeat this in rows until the entire surface is covered in circular peaks.

Linear Waves

10A
– Using a spatula, press the thin edge into the soap surface. Gently lift and simultaneously spin the spatula in a 180° rotation. As you do this, a peak that resembles a wave is formed.

10B

– Repeat to cover soap surface. You can do this from side to side, top to bottom, or even diagonally across the mold. It’s a nice one to use with ocean designs.

You can highlight any of your textures by sprinkling or painting with colorful micas.